RE: Stearm tracer for low pipeline temperature

IMO, it's difficult to have steam tracing to achieve a tight temperature control. But, try to have a smaller size of the tracing tube, instead of 3/4", which may help to your design. You may need to play around the steam pressure and tracer size to get the required service temperature.
P.S. don't forget the pipe insulation.

RE: Stearm tracer for low pipeline temperature

From Perry Chem Engg Handbook, 7th edn, pg 10-138, the following may be obtained: Steam tracer htc is approx 4.4Btu/hr/linear ft/degF (or 7.6W/linear metre/ degC) for a 1/2inch tracer cemented to the pipe. You can extrapolate this to get you the htc for any other size of tracer. On page 10-137, it says use 1/10th of the value for cemented tracers if you are using bare tracer ( without conducting cement). You should also make some provisions for reduced heat transfer if/when part of the cemented tracer network on a piping segment were to break free from the cement.

Agree, electric heat tracing is much more reliable these days and more suited to heat sensitive materials, if you could use self regulating style electric heat tracing. You'll find this same recommendation in these pages in Perry.

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